Clay working machine



Nov. 20, 1934. I 1 vows 1,981,257

CLAY WORKING MACHINE Filed NOV. 4, 1955 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE IV TOR. b fl/55E L L 7.' VORIS.

his ATTORNEY NOV. 20, 1934. R T O s CLAY WORKING MACHINE Filed NOV. 4, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //VVE/VTOR RUSSELL 7. l/OFF/S.

his ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1934. R. T. VORIS 1,981,257

CLAY WORKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 4, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I 1 5/ Z/ 5 -25 Z 23 DIV 1 4 28/25 22 i 27 I 67 L I 67 G '1 4- //V VE N TOR. fUSSEL L T VOR($.

bis ATTORNE Y Patented Nov. 20, 1934 CLAY WORKING MACHINE Russell '1. Voris, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Manufacturers Equipment Company, Dayton, Ohio, a, corporation of Ohio Application November 4, 1933, Serial No. 696,645-

19 Claims.

This invention relates to clay working machines and is designed more particularly for use with a brick making machine having a plurality of cutters for severing a column of clay into brick size sections. In a machine of this character the clay is usually forced through a die to form the same into a column of the desired cross sectional shape and this column is delivered to the cutting mechanism which severs successive portions of the same into sections. It is frequently desirable to impart to one surface of the severed section a configuration different from that which can be imparted thereto by the die. For example, certain types of paving brick are provided on one vertical surface with a plurality of lugs arranged in definite relation thereto. Further, it is often desirable that the severed sections should have smooth even upper edges and the cutting mechanisms as commonly employed are very apt to leave these upper edges more or less uneven and fuzzy. It has been proposed heretofore to associate with such cutting mechanism an apparatus comprising pressure plates shaped to impart the desired configuration'to one surface of the severed section and/or to cooperate with the cutters to provide a clean cut which will leave the upper edges of the severed sections smooth and even.

Such an apparatus is shown in the application filed by Karl R. Forry on November 1, 1933 Serial No. 696,172, and owned by the assignee of the present application, and the present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the apparatus there shown.

One object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus with actuating mechanism for the pressure plates which will be simple in construction and inexpensive to construct.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus in which the actuating mecham nism for each pressure plate will be complete in itself and will be wholly mechanical in its opera tion.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus with individual actuating 43 mechanisms for the respective pressure plates which will be operated by the cutting mechanism itself.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the apparatus is described in detail.

5 In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a portion of a brick making machine embodying my invention;

2 is an end elevation of the cutting mechanism of such a machine; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the cutting mechanism; Fig. 4

is a detail view, partly in section, showing a part of the pressure devices and their operating mechanism; Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of one of the pressure plates; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the severed sections.

In these drawings I have illustratedv one 'em bodiment of my invention and have shown the, same in connection with a brick making machine of a well known type. It will be understood, how-.. ever, that the invention may take various forms and may be associated with various types of machines designed for severing columns of plastic material into sections. 1

In the particular machine here illustrated the clay is forced in the usual manner through a die, a portion of which is shownat 10, and which forms the clay into a continuous column having the desired cross sectional shape. This column of clay is received from the die by a conveyor 11 which delivers the same to the cutting mechanism. .The cutting mechanism as awhole is mounted on a supplemental base or frame Hand is capable of a reciprocatory movement in the direction of the length of the clay column, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The sup-, plemental device 12 is therefore provided with downwardly facing track sections 13 which rest upon rollers 14 which in turn are mounted to travel on short track sections 15 carried by a main base 16 which forms part of the main supporting structure for the mechanism. Rigidly mounted on the supplemental base 12 and spaced one from the other are upright frame members 17 which are rigidly connected one to the other by a longitudinal center structure 18, sometimes h called a center column. Each frame member comprises a plurality of arms 19 extending substantially radially from the center structure and each of these arms has at its outer end a roller 20. Mounted for rotation about the center structure 18 is a cutter reel which comprises two gears. 21 having external gear teeth and internal track portions which are supported on and travel about rollers 20 of the respective end frames 17. These gears are rigidly connected one to the other by a plurality of tie bars 22, there being in the present instance four of these tie bars each of which is formed of angle iron. The cutters are in the form of Wires 23 arranged radially of the cutter reel and connected at their outer ends with the bars 22, preferably through the medium of relatively stifi springs 24, and connected at their inner ends with rotatable members or brackets 25 rotatably mounted on the center structure." There are, in the present instance, four series 110 Hi I:

of wires 23 spaced equal distances apart about the reel and the wires of each series are spaced one from the other a distance equal to the width of the sections-Which are to be severed. The corresponding cutting wires of each series are connected with the same supporting bracket 25 so that the corresponding cutting wires in the'several series will11ie-in-the same vertical planes and therefore travel in the same paths.

-Mounted within the cutter reel are a plurality of supporting devices arranged to receive and support that portion of the clay columnwhich is: to be severed into sections and these supporting devices are spaced one from theothento permit the respective cutting wires-'to-pass-between the same when rotatory movement is imparted to the reel. As here shown, each:supportingdeviceds: in the form of a bracket 26 rigidly secured to and depending from the center structure and is "pro-- vided with a bottom plate 2'7 and a backplate 28 toengage the bottom and rear surface of the clay column -and hold the same against lateral dis= placement during the cuttinggoperation.

Intermittent rotatory movementis imparted to the. cutter; reel by-pinions 29 which meshwith therespective gears 21 and are secured to a shaft. 30Im-ountedin frontrof the reel fand journaled in b'earings3li carried by, brackets szfmounted on thesu-pplemental base 12. Rotatably and slidab'ly mountedfontheshaft 30"is a drum 33 having rigidlysecured to one end thereof a clutch member 34 'arrangedto cooperate with a second clutch member 35. mounted on ,the shaft 30' andheld against) rotation with relation thereto. The

" clutchm'ember. 34'is pressed normally into en' gagement'with the clutch member 35 by a spring 367mountedlin the drum-33'." Woundiabouttlie drum.33.and connectedtherewith is a chain 3.? which extends downwardly about a guidesheave 38j"and..thence upwardly and is connected with acrank pin 39" on a driving gear 40n1ounted on the.shaft4l; This gear is driven byapinion' A2 which'is connected by atrain'of gears 43 with av b'eltwh'eel44. A'second. chain45 is also'con 1? nectedlfwith the drum" 33 andiextendsupwardly therefrom and is connectedwith one endof a counterbalanoing lever'46 'pivotally "mounted on a suspended fulcrum 4'7 and having its other end" counterweighted; as' shown" at 48. The driving gear 401Zis rotated.continuously andtthe gear and its,cooperatingmechanism are so'arranged that at thebeginningofeachop'erationof the cutting mechanism thecrank pin willbeator'near its lowest position? As the crank pin moves upwardly the chain'37 is unwoundfromthe drum 33 .and thus rotates that drum; and, throughthe mediumpfthe clutch'members 34 and 35 imparts rotatory m'ovement'to the pinions 29 and the cutter reelj the geanratio being such that a half "rotation' of the" driving gear' 40; will impart a quarter rotation to'the-reel. When'thecrank pin 39*passes its uppermostposition and'moves down- Wardlythe chain 37 will be slacked oil? and the chain'45'; which'has'been wound onto the drum 33by 'thev unwinding ofthe'chain 37, will then be unwound from the'drum 33 by the action of the counterweightan'd the;dru nand the clutch memb'er. 34willilb'e rotated in a reverse direction, thus causing the clutch member 34 to ride overthe teeth of. 'the clutch member. 35, thereby restoring. theclutch members .to their initial position withoutcimparting, reverse movement to the. cutter reel. The cutting ,wiresareso. arranged. on the 1 reel...that..each.quarter. rotationiwill carry one set of wires through the clay column and the reel will come to a stop with that set of wires positioned slightly beyond the column. Inasmuch as the clay column moves continuously means are provided for moving the cutting mechanism forwardly during the cutting operation at the same speed at which the clay column is moving, thereby causingthe wires to sever the column alonglines atrightangles to the column. At the end of this cutting operation and While the reel is held against rotation the cutting mechanism as a" whole is restored to its initial position. The means forimparting this reciprocatory movement to the cutting mechanism is not involved in the present invention? and therefore need not be illustrated or describedfin detail. The clay column travelsforwardly during the cutting operation and during the rearward movement of the cutting mechanism and by the time the cutting mechanism-reaches its rearmost position another portion of the clay column will be in engagement with theseveral supporting devices andjready for the next cutting operation. The" continuous movement of 'the clay column forces the severed sections off of 'the supporting devices and onto a delivery conveyor "49 which prefe'rably' moves at a" speed slightly greater than the speedfof the" clay-columnso as to separate the-several sectionsand facilitate their removal.-

Themechanism here shown is designedfor forming paving bricks 50 each having Y on= onevertical surface two pairs of ='lugs-51, the lugs of each pair 'being'spaced ona-from theoth'er and" from the upper andfilower edges-ofthevertical surface;

by. the severed edges ofthe sections. 'Consequently the uppersurface of the claycomma forms one, ofthe vertical surfaces-of the brickand the :brick' is shown in Fig; 6 in the'p'osition which 1 it occupies during the-severing and forming operations. 'Inord'erj to form'the lugs on the severed sections the=die itself -is-shaped to provide'%the uppersurface of the; clay column with two con-- tinuous ribs, one of which is-shown atSZin Fig: 1',

these ribs being arranged .in the position which the-lugs 51-areto occupy. In orderto convert these continuous :ribs into lugs :there is mounted abovez'each supportingrdevice :26 a pressure plate- 53' wh'ichmay' be moved into engagement with the corresponding:section of the clay column before;

or during zthe severing operation. The lower surface of this plate is shaped to impartthe desired press ithe'adjacentportions of the rib jfilinto-the body of the section, the remaining portions ofthe rib: enteringthe recesses, which impart thereto the desired shape. The edges *of' adjacent pressure plates 53 are preferably spaced apart a. distanceesubstantially: equal to the. thick ness of the cutting wires so that they will cooperate withv those .cuttingiwires'; in the manner. of 'cuttenbars, to provide a cleanrrsharpLcut alongethe. upper 'edge of the section.

Anysuitable mechanism may be provided to actuate the-pressure plates 53 inproperly timed relation tothe successive movements of the'cut terireel and I have here shown individual actuating. mechanismsforthe several pressure plates which are wholly mechanical in their operation,

cross sectional shape 1 of the clay column conforms to the top and"bottonr=surfacesof the paving brick} these surfaceehe-ing -formed When the Kid as distinguished from the fluid pressure operated devices of the above mentioned application. I also prefer that the actuating devices shall be of such a character that they may be simultaneously operated by the reel itself, thereby insuring the operation of the pressure plates at the desired time with relation to the movements of the reel. As here shown each pressure plate is secured to and supported by a rod or plunger slidably mounted in a bracket 56 rigidly secured to the center structure 18 and arranged between the paths of travel of adjacent cutting wires. The pressure plate is held against rotary movement about the axis of the plunger 55 by means of a pin 57 secured thereto and also guided in the bracket 56. The plunger 55 has at its upper end pivot lugs 58 to which is pivotally connected one end of a lever 59, the other end of which is pivotally mounted at 60 on an upright plate or bracket 61 also rigidly secured to the center structure 18, the lever preferably extending across the center structure and the axis 16 being arranged on that side of the center structure opposite the plunger 55. The pressure plate is moved to its uppermost position and retained in that position by a spring 62 confined between the bracket 56 and the pivot lugs 58. Acam 63 is pivotally mounted on the bracket 61 above the lever 59 and is arranged to act on that lever to force the same downwardly against the action of the spring 62, the lever preferably being provided with a roller 64 with which the cam engages. Rigidly secured to the cam is an arm 65 which is arranged to be engaged by a part of the reel and actuated to cause the cam to depress the pressure device. A spring 66 is connected with the arm 65 to restore the same to its normal position and thus release the pressure plate for upward movement when the arm has been released by the reel; When the pressure plate is used for embossing purposes only the cam may be actuated to press the plate into engagement with the clay section either before the cutters engage the clay column or during the cutting operation but when the pressure plate is to cooperate with the wires to provide a clean cut edge on the section the pressure plate should be pressed into engagement with the clay column before the latter is engaged by the cutting wires and should be retained in engagement with the column during the entire cutting operation and, in the form illustrated, the actuating mechanism is arranged and timed to provide for this latter operation. As here shown, the cam actuating arm 65 is supported normally in a substantially vertical position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which position the cam will have released the pressure plate and the latter will have been moved to its elevated position. When the arm 65 is'in its normal or upright position the upper endthereof lies in the path of the tie bars 22 of the reel. The movements of the cutter reel are so timed that at the end of each cutting operation the reel will stop with the wires which have performed the cut located just beyond the rear edges of the sections, in an almost vertical position. This results in the succeeding series of wires, which are to perform the next cutting operation, being located in approximately horizontal positions and spaced a substantial distance from the clay column. The arrangement also results in the uppermost tie bar 22 being located in the rear of but close'to the upright cam actuating arm 65, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. When rotatory movement is again imparted to the reel this uppermost tie bar will engage the cam arm and rock the cam about its axis and thus cause the pressure plate to be pressed into engagement-With the clay column. The succeeding set of cutter wires being spaced a substantial distance from the clay column there is ample time within which the cam may actuate the pressure plate before the cutting wires engage the clay column. As the cutter reel continues its rotation the tie bar will ride over the end of the cam actuating arm and will, prior to the completion of the quarter rotation of the reel, release the arm so that it may be returned to its normal position by the spring 66. When, as in the present instance, the pressure plate is to be retained in engagement with the clay column throughout the cutting operation the tie bars 22 may be provided with rear extensions 67 which will hold the arm 65 in its depressed position until the reel has almost completed its quarter rotation and will then release the same.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that I have provided very simple but highly efficient actuating mechanisms for the pressure plates and that the separate actuating mechanisms for the respective pressure plates are so arranged that they will in no way interfere with the operation of the cutting mechanism but will be engaged and positively actuated by a part of the cutter reel, thereby enabling the operation of the pressure plates to be accurately timed with relation to the movements of the reel and also enabling the pressure plates to be retained in engagement with the clay sections for any desired length of time.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occurto a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine for severing a column of plas tic material into sections comprising a cutter and means to support the section to be severed during the severing operation; a device mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with a section of material which is in severing position thereon, and means actuated by a moving part of said machine for moving said device into engagement with said section of material.

2. In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising cutting mechanism and means to support the section to be severed during the severing operation; a device mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with a section of material which is in severing position thereon, and means actuated by said cutting mechanism for moving said device into engagement with said section of material.

3, In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising a cutter and means to support the section to be severed during the severing operation; a device mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with a section of material which is in severing position thereon, cam operated means for pressing said device into engagement with said section of material, and means for controlling the movements of said cam in accordance with the movements of said cutter.

lib

-4. In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising a cutter and means to-support the section to be severed during the-severing operation; a device mounted adjacent to said supporting means forlmovement into engagement with a section of material which is in severing position thereon, a plunger operatively connected with said-device, a lever connected with said plunger, a cam to actuate said lever, and means for actuating saidcam intimed relation to the movement of said cutter;

5. Ina machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising a rotatable cutting mechanism, and means to support the section to be severed during the severing operation; a device mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with a section of material which is in severing position thereon, and means for pressing said device into engagement with, said section of material including a part arranged to be actuated by said rotatable cutting mechanism.

6. In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising a rotatable cutting mechanism, and means to support the section to be severed during the severing operation; a device mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with a section of material which is in severing position thereon, and means for pressing said device into engagement with said section of material, said means including a cam and the part connected with said cam and arranged to be actuated by said rotatable cutting mechanism 7. In a machine for severing acoluinn of plastic material into sections comprising a rotatable cutting mechanism, andmeans to support the section to be severed during the severing operation; a device mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with a sectionof material which is in severing position'thereon, a lever connected with said device, a cam to actuate said lever, an arm secured to said-cam and arranged in the path of a part on said rotatable cutting mechanism.

:8. In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising cutting mechanism and means to support the section to severed during the severing operation; a device mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with a section of material which is in severing position thereon, and means actuated by said cutting mechanism for moving said device into engagement with said section of material and for retaining the same in engagement therewith throughout the cutting operation.

9. In a machine of the character described comprising a center structure, a plurality of devices carried by said center structure and arranged to receive and support a column of plastic material, and cutting mechanism rotatable about said center structure and having a plurality of cutters to pass between said supporting devices,.and sever the material thereon into sectionsj a plurality of pressure devices mounted above the respective supporting devices and movable into engagement with the material thereon and separate actuating devices for the respective pressure devices mounted on said center structure, said actuating devices and said cutting mechanism having cooperating parts to operate said actuating devices in timed relation to the movements of said cutting mechanism.

10. In a machine of the character described comprising acenter structure, a. pluralityof devices carried by said center structure and arranged-to receive and support a column of plastic material, and cutting mechanism rotatable about said center structure'and having a plurality of cutters to pass between said supporting devices and sever the material thereon'into sections; a plurality of pressure devices mounted above the respective supporting devices and movable into engagement with the material thereon, and cam operated actuating devices supported on said center structure adjacent to and operatively connected with the respective pressure devices and each having a part arranged to be actuated by said rotatable cutting mechanism to impart operative movement'to its cam.

11. In a machine of the character described comprising a center structure, a plurality of devices carried by said center structure and arranged to receive and support a column of plastic materialand cutting mechanism rotatable about said center structure and having a plurality of cutters to pass between said supporting devices and sever the material thereon into sections; a plurality of pressure devices mounted above the respective supporting devices and movable into v engagement with the material thereon, and separate actua ing devicesfor therespective pressure devices each comprising a cam supported on said centerstructure, and an arm connected with said cam and extending into-the'path of a part of said cutting mechanism.

12. In a machine of the character described comprising a center structure, a plurality of d vices carried by said center structure and arranged toreceive and support a column'of plastic material, and cutting mechanismrotatable about said center structure and having a plurality of cutters to pass betweensaid supporting devices and sever the material thereoninto sections; a

plurality of pressure devices mounted above the respective supporting devices and movable into engagement with the material thereon,-a lever pivotally supported on'said center structure ad jacent to and operatively connected with each material, and cutting mechanism rotatable about .1

said center structure and having a plurality of cutters to pass between said supporting devices and sever the material thereon into sections; a plurality of pressure devices mounted above the respective supporting devices and movable into engagement with the material thereon, a lever pivotally supported on said center structure adjacent to and operatively connected with each pressure device, a cam supported by said center structure and arranged to actuate said lever, and an arm connected with said cam and extending into the path of a part of said cutting mechanism, said arm being so arrangedwith relation'to a part of said cutting mechanism that said pressure device will be'caused to engage said material prior to the cutting operation.

14. In a machine of the character described comprising a center structure,'a plurality of devices carried by said center structure and arrangedsto receive and supporta column of plastic material, and cutting mechanism rotatable about said center structure and having a plurality of cutters to pass between said supporting devices and sever the material thereon into sections; a plurality of pressure devices mounted above the respective supporting devices and movable into engagement with the material thereon, and. separate actuating devices for the respective pressure devices mounted on said center structure, said actuating devices and said cutting mechanism having cooperating parts to operate said actuating devices in timed relation to the movements of said cutting mechanism, said cooperating parts being so arranged that said pressure devices will be moved into engagement with said material prior to the cutting operation and will be retained in engagement therewith throughout the cutting operation.

15. In a machine comprising means for forming a clay column having a longitudinal rib on its upper surface, cutting mechanism for severing said column into sections, and separate devices for supporting the respective sections during the severing operation; a pressure device mounted above each supporting device for movement into engagement with the clay section supported thereby and having its lower surface shaped to convert the rib on said section into spaced lugs, and separate actuating devices for the respective pressure devices, each actuating device having a part actuated by said cutting mechanism for imparting movement to its pressure device.

16. In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising a plurality or" cutters spaced apart lengthwise of said column, means to support a portion of said material while said cutters sever the same into sections, and means for actuating said cutters; devices mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with the respective sections of material which are in severing position on said supporting means, and means arranged between the paths of said cutters and actuated by a moving part of said machine to move said devices into engagement with said sections of material.

17. In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising a plurality of cutters spaced apart lengthwise of said column, means to support a portion of said material while said cutters sever the same into sections, and means for actuating said cutters; devices mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with the respective sections of material which are in severing position on said supporting means, and a separate actuating mechanism for each of said devices, each actuating mechanism having a part to be engaged and actuated by a moving part of said machine.

18. In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising a rotary cutting mechanism having a plurality of cutters spaced apart lengthwise of said column, and means to support a portion of said column while said cutters sever the same into sections; a plurality of devices mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with the respective sections of material which are in severing position on said supporting means,

.and actuating mechanisms arranged between the paths of adjacent cutters, operatively connected with the respective devices and having parts arranged to be engaged and actuated by said rotary cutter mechanism.

19. In a machine for severing a column of plastic material into sections comprising a member extending lengthwise of said column, cutter mechanism rotatable about said member and having a plurality of cutters spaced apart lengthwise of said member, and means to support a portion of said column of material in the paths or" said cutters; devices mounted adjacent to said supporting means for movement into engagement with said portion of said material between the paths of said cutters, and actuating means for said devices carried by said member, said actuating means and said cutter mechanism having cooperating parts to cause said devices to be actuated in timed relation to the movement of said cutters.

RUSSELL T. VORIS. 

